State Department of Transportation Announces $17.4 Million Investment in Bridge and Culvert Projects Underway Across North Country
Release Date: May 28, 2026
State Department of Transportation Announces $17.4 Million Investment in Bridge and Culvert Projects Underway Across North Country
Two Projects Will Enhance Resiliency Along Key Travel Corridors in Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, and Jefferson Counties
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced that work is underway on two North Country culvert and bridge projects totaling more than $17 million. The projects will increase the resiliency of seven structures and improve travel conditions for motorists and cyclists along highways in Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, and Jefferson Counties. Improvements include replacing aging culverts with new structures designed to improve traffic flow and accommodate bicyclists, along with new guiderails to extend the service life of the crossings and reduce future maintenance costs.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “These culvert replacement projects along important North Country regional arteries demonstrate that New York, under Governor Hochul’s leadership, continues to deliver needed infrastructure investments in communities across New York State. Representing just two of several ongoing initiatives to enhance roads and bridges across the North Country, these projects reflect our deep commitment to keeping our communities seamlessly connected through reliable and resilient infrastructure.”
The projects include:
Replacement of Four Aging Culverts in Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, and Jefferson Counties
The $9.2 million project will install new precast concrete culverts to enhance safety and improve resiliency along four key North Country highways that serve a mix of vehicle and truck traffic.
Culverts being replaced are:
- U.S. Route 11 over the tributary to the Great Chazy River in the Town of Mooers, Clinton County – A 78-foot culvert featuring 12-foot lanes and 11-foot shoulders will be constructed.
- State Route 3 over Lyon Brook in the Town of Franklin, Franklin County – A 60-foot culvert featuring 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders will be constructed.
- State Route 30 over Cold Brook in the Town of Piercefield, St. Lawrence County – A 109.5-foot culvert featuring four 12-foot lanes and two 6-foot shoulders will be constructed.
- State Route 180 over Stone Mills Creek in the Town of Orleans, Jefferson County – A 35.5-foot culvert featuring 11-foot lanes and 5-foot shoulders will be constructed.
Construction started at the State Route 3 culvert over Lyon Brook in the Town of Franklin in early May, with work at the other three sites to follow. Staged construction will be utilized for the sites along US Route 11, State Route 3, and State Route 30, deploying temporary signals to accommodate one-way alternating flows of traffic. The State Route 180 project will utilize an off-site signed detour along State Route 411, Interstate 81, State Route 342, and State Route 12.
Replacement of Three Aging Culverts with Bridges in St. Lawrence, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties
The $8.2 million project will replace three aging culverts with bridges along State Route 458 in Franklin County and U.S. Route 11 in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. The new bridges will be larger, longer structures to improve resilience during severe weather events and better protect the waterways’ ecosystems. The two sites along U.S. Route 11, a designated bicycle route, will feature shoulders designed to better accommodate bicyclists.
Culverts being replaced with new bridges are:
- State Route 458 over Clear Brook in the Town of Santa Clara, Franklin County – An 82-foot, single-span bridge featuring 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders will be constructed. An on-site diversion using alternating one-way traffic with temporary traffic signals will be utilized during construction.
- U.S. Route 11 over Stony Creek in the Town of Adams, Jefferson County – A 36-foot, single-span bridge featuring 12-foot lanes and 5-foot shoulders will be constructed. An off-site signed detour will be in place utilizing Interstate 81 and State Route 232 during construction.
- U.S. Route 11 over the tributary to the Trout Brook in the Town of Lawrence, St. Lawrence County – A 40-foot, single-span bridge featuring 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders will be constructed. An off-site, signed detour will be in place utilizing State Route 420 and State Route 11C during construction.
Construction started at the State Route 458 culvert over Clear Brook in the Town of Santa Clara in early May, with work at the other three sites to follow.
The projects are scheduled to be completed by December of 2027.
Senator Daniel Stec said, “I’ve said it for years: maintaining our local roads and bridges is crucial to improving our communities and enhancing our quality of life. I’m pleased that this $17 million investment has been secured for North Country bridges and culverts. Once these projects are completed, it will improve safety and accessibility for residents and visitors to Franklin, Clinton and St. Lawrence Counties for years to come.”
Assemblyman Scott Gray said, “This $17.4 million investment in our bridges and culverts is exactly the practical work that keeps the North Country moving. Replacing aging culverts with stronger, more resilient structures protects our roads, safeguards our waterways, and reduces costly maintenance down the line. I thank the Department of Transportation for investing in the rural infrastructure that is the backbone of Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties.”
Assemblyman Michael Cashman said, “This funding is critical to ensuring our roadways are safer and more resilient against normal wear and tear as well as severe weather, and I am glad to have taken part in bringing these resources to the region. We have seen repeated instances of severe summer flooding throughout the district in recent years, and implementing these preventative measures is essential. I thank the roadwork teams who put in the hard work to make these changes happen for their continued dedication to public safety."
Town of Franklin Supervisor Dorothy Brown said, "We appreciate the New York State Department of Transportation and their engineering team for identifying the need to replace this culvert on State Route 3 and taking proactive steps to address it before it became a larger issue. Route 3 is a heavily traveled roadway through the Town of Franklin, used daily by our residents, businesses, emergency services, and visitors to the North Country. The safety and reliability of our infrastructure is extremely important, and we are grateful for the State's continued investment in protecting the traveling public and maintaining safe transportation corridors for our community."
About the Department of Transportation:
It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment, and supports the economic well-being of New York State.
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